The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-04-07
THE WHITE HOUSE
As 1T APPEARS TO THE NAKED EYE
OF THE PUBLIC.

tibuIe-Furntture and DecOrat1onS-OI
the Second FIOOr-Cabinet Room.
! The White House is truly beautiful, and
it should be, for it has cost since the begin
ming nearly 50, 900, 600. Amid all its mag
nifcence, however there are many bits OF
the commonplace, and in that part of ii
which is daily viewed by the public eye, II
is in places actually shabby. In this letter
want to describe the business part of the
White House as it strikes thu average caller.
IT is a great white building of two stories
and a basement with porte cochere IN It's
front and an iron railing tipped with brass
gliding at the side. 1t has big lawn in
front of it and there is a fountain spoutlng
I'D a spray in the center of this. The front
door is reached by a crescent of asphalt
drives, in the top of which lies this porte
cochere This asphalt is cracked in places
and it gives back all the rays of the sun dur
ing the heated summer months. Along its
ksi1 de runs foot walk as wide as an Ordin-
airy pavement, and the material of this is
plain sandstone in blocks about two feet
square.
j The landing under the porte cochere is of
he same ordinary sandstone, and as you go
lp to it you can look over the iron railing
and See the presidents servant ironing his
shirts and other unmentionable family gar
nents in the laundry of the basement. Rails
ng your eyes, you note that Holland shades
pf a cream, color cover the windows OF the
asst room, and walking up the sandstone
steps you reach the front door, and here
hote that it's step is also of sandstone, a
BART of which is painted brown. In front
pr this door lies big straw colored mat of
COCOA, laid there for you to wipe your feet
1pon before entering.
The front doors of the White House are
y 6OI1h an6
nto each is set an oval piece of plate glass
With panels of mosaic glass about it.
Through this oval glass the doorkeepers can
zee who wish to enter, and if they are objec-
e5ionable, can refuse to open the door. In
me of them on the inside a card hangs.
This card is made of tin, and upon it in
black letters are painted the words:
''Open 10 a. m, closed 2 p. M
1t was after 2 o'clock when I called and
he house was closed to visitors The door
bell of the White House is at the right of
he entrance. 1t is of bronze and rather
pretty. The door knob was especially de-
igned for this door. 1t is as big around as
base ball, and it has an American eagle
but into its brass face.
Entering the White House through these
pig front doors you first stand in a great
festibule or hall This is a conglomeratiOn
II the grand and the cheap. The floor is Of
He'd mosaic, and probably cost several dol
ars a square foot The wall before you was
made by Tiffany. It shuts you off from the
brand corridor where the guests promen-
de at the state receptions, and in which
she portraits of all the presidents hang. 1t
8 splendid piece of glass mosaic which
Phines like so many jewels in the evening
'he chandelier in the center of this vesti-
ule is a beauty and the walls and the cell
#1crC fa1- hn &c
beautiful. But look around you. Two
heap rough cocoa door mats lie upon the
1osaic floor. The woodwork of the veSti-
ule has been grained to represent black
Falnut, and vanished, and this varnish is
racked like an old picture. Beside the
COR entering the hall, which leads to the
econd story, there is a walnut umbrella |
land which would be dear at So, and in the |
all beyond at the foot of the stairs, lies |
myrna rug which long ago saw its best !
ays.
This hall, and indeed the stairs which lead |
the presidents offices as well, are car
eted with an old piece of brussels, which |
las good once, but which would not now
ring fifty cents at auction. Against the
all sit couple of So wicker chairs, and |
yer the desk at the foot of the stairs hangs
calendar bearing at its top the advertise
ent of a railroad. This carpet has been
atched to fit. 1t has been sewed and
4sewed, and at the edges of the breadths
pc nap is well worn away A strip of the
me carpet, with six-inch border sewed
each side of it, covers the stairs and
is stair carpet is fastened by silver headed
pills at each step.
ON THE NEXT FLOOR.
Ascend the stairs. Each step is worn
readbare by the tread of thousands of
IL, -
white path of the well-worn brussels
arks the road to the presidents reception
bonn. Stop here moment and look be-
re you. There is window looking out
pom Lafayette park. This is ornamented
it'll a lambrequin OF green silk which was
pc once, but which is now faded, stained
readbare, and shabby. 1t looks IS though
might have been bought at the auction of
second class boarding house. A Holland
Jade within it hides its shabbiness from
be street.
Now walk along the path of the office
|eker. Go through those wide doors of
|hlnut which are fastened back at the bot
|m by five cent iron hooks and you stand in
|e presence of Col Loef1ler, the man who
.ceives the cards Of visitors and takes them
to the president. There are no seats here
speak of. Loeffler sits on a walnut
Fivel chair before fat walnut desk, and
|e only furniture about him consists of
70 high-backed chairs, painted red, which
PIX as though they were intended for a
|vn or front porch.
Col. Lamont has very fair room, and it
moderately furnished. There is book
Sc at one side, and at different parts Of
b room two revolving bookcases made of
hlnut which probably cost $40 apiece.
here are china spittoOns in this room and
p furniture is upholstered in red leather
lmont has a chair of state big enough for
p fattest king that ever sat upon throne
IS desk is a big fiat walnut one and it is
ilally covered with papers, and the colonel
u very hard worked man.
The cabinet room and that of the presi-
MT are, Of course, better furnished than
ose have so far described. President !
eveland works behind desk which was a !
esent from Queen Victoria, and around I
N hang beautiful pictures, and at his !
yht hand blazes bright fire. At his back !
9 windows giving magnificent views of the
'toInac and the Virginia hills, and in the
elves of the bookcases around the walls is
q White House ibrary.-Frank G.. Car. 9
inter- in Cleveland L eader. !
Theory of Coal Formation.
A new theory of coal formation has
n